Anything You Wish For
by IamTheAlleyCat
Summary: AH. Bella has a love/hate relationship with Edward, the new Finance VP of Cullen Communications. On the company's Xmas party, she tells him exactly what she thinks of him, and he kisses her! Sweet, funny, and fluffy. Happy Birthday shpwhitney!
1. Christmas Party

_**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_I would like to thank Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for prereading this in record time and to CharTwilightMom for helping me with the outline and for giving this one a second preread._

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><p><em>Happy Birthday to shpwhitney!<em>

_I hope you like your present :) _

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 – Christmas Party<strong>

**Bella**

I was never big on holidays. Growing up with a mother who worked as a part time kindergarten teacher and a father who's a cop, we never had a lot of money to go around. We always had a turkey for Thanksgiving and a tree up for Christmas, with fairy lights and presents, but it was always simple.

My grandparents passed away when I was very young, so it was always just my parents and me. Since neither of them was religious, we usually had a family dinner, exchanged gifts, and then my father would go on to watch TV, and my mother would go to her hobbies.

Standing in the balcony overlooking the back yard of what could easily have been called a palace, felt foreign to me. Seeing that it was a company affair and I was the IT Applications Team Leader, my presence was required in person at the _Cullen Communications_ Christmas Ball, which was held at the Carlisle Cullen's—the CEO—mansion.

I had been working hard to get this position. For the past four years, I had been juggling a fulltime job at the company's Finance department, keeping my checkbook balanced, my tiny apartment livable, as well as working on my MBA. Fortunately, my former boss, Leah Clearwater, Vice President of Finance, had been very understanding. She let me work from home or on weekends, and at times when my academic load seemed too great, she allowed me to postpone some of my work.

I felt sad when I had to leave her team, even though I was very happy at the benefits that came with the promotion. While she was always my boss, Leah had also become somewhat of a friend to me, and I kept in touch with her after working hours, our friendship growing even stronger once we were no longer boss and employee.

It came as a great shock when not three months after my promotion, Leah had been let go. There were many rumors and whispers circulating as to the reasons why she was essentially fired, but when Mr. Cullen announced that his nephew, Edward Masen-Cullen, would be taking over, there was nearly a riot. The new Vice President of Finance was only three years my senior, had a master's in Marketing, and had no prior experience working for a company as big as CC.

I'd like to think that I would have given him a chance, but the guy was rubbing me the wrong way since the moment he arrived. Not two days into his new position, Mr. Masen-Cullen had decided that all of the Finance personnel needed to be reevaluated, which resulted in many good people going home.

Once he was done with the personnel, he began going over the different applications in use by the department. That was how I, as both a former Finance employee and current Application Team Leader ended up in his office for a meeting. By then, I was more than a little worried. I knew that he _probably_ couldn't get me fired, but I did not want to take any chances.

The meeting was fairly short, but the forty minutes that I had spent alone with him in the same room were more than enough for me to want to slap this man, hard. Between implying that I slept my way into the position and almost accusing me of mishandling company financials, I caught him talking to my chest rather than to my face more than once.

After that, I did my best to avoid the man. It did no good that I wanted to rub my fingers through his reddish brown hair that was always barely on this side of appropriate, that I found his jawline amazingly strong, his lips kissable, and his eyes to be beautiful and almost irresistible. I didn't want to find him attractive, especially when he was the reason my friend had lost her job and was acting like a complete jerk to me, but I did. I think I would have had to be blind, deaf, and dead not to.

The way I saw it, being away from Mr. Edward Masen-Cullen was definitely a perk of this promotion.

I was swiftly pulled back from my reverie by someone calling my name. I turned and saw that Eric Yorkie, the Vice President of IT and my new boss, was waving me to join him. I sighed, plastered a smile to my face, and went to, eh, mingle with the crowd, I believe it's called.

As Christmas grew closer this year, people had huge grins on their faces, bigger than the norm for this time of year. When I asked around, I found out later that this year, the Christmas party would be held at the Cullens' private home. Apparently, it was a one-in-five-years event in which there was an actor dressed as Santa walking amongst the guests and giving away really good presents, copious amounts of food and alcohol were served, and a raffle at the end of the event, with a brand new car as the grand prize. The second and third prizes were not too shabby either—a three-day trip for two to Paris and a weekend getaway in Vancouver.

I was impressed. The company's Christmas bonus was very generous as it was, and a party like that sounded like a really nice event. When it was announced, around the beginning of December, that there would also be a performance by the famous band, "Jasper's Monkeys", I thought that Mr. Cullen might be overdoing it a little. The band's lead singer, Jasper Whitlock, was one hot piece of man. A Texan with the sexiest drawl ever, the man knew how to make his fans wet their panties. Alice Brandon, my best friend since sixth grade, told me that she didn't care if I had to pose as a lesbian; I was taking her to the party or else!

As it were, I didn't have to out myself, however falsely, to take her with me. I was grateful for her presence. It provided me with a much-needed break from the inner politics, not to mention comic relief since Alice, being an accomplished fashion designer, gave me a play-by-play of all the fashion crimes the attendees of the party had committed this evening. She spared no one, and I was genuinely having a great time.

Unfortunately, I still had my personal obligations, so I still had to make a round, say hello and wish a merry Christmas to the big shots. I had a nice break when "Jasper's Monkeys" went on stage, but after their performance, Alice slipped away with a quiet, "Don't wait for me tonight," whispered to me. I didn't even get the chance to remind her that _she_ drove _me_ tonight, rather than the other way around. I only had time to see her reappear in front of a door next to the stage as she slipped past the door.

Shaking my head, I finished the glass of champagne I was holding and placed it on the tray a passing waiter held. I wasn't too worried about finding a ride. I could probably catch a ride with one of my co-workers, assuming I found someone who wasn't too drunk to drive, or I could take a cab.

"Miss Swan?"

I turned to see who was calling me and had to keep myself from cringing when I saw that it was the CEO himself. _Was I in trouble?_

"Mr. Cullen, Merry Christmas." I smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Swan. Allow me to introduce you to my wife, Esme," he said. "Esme, this is Ms. Bella Swan. She is the new head of one of our IT teams."

The loving expression on his face when he spoke his wife's name and glanced at her was staggering. The tough, no-nonsense man that I had grown accustomed to during my years of working at CC was gone to be replaced by a man who seemed to be still very much in love with his wife, even though I knew them to be married for many years.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan." Esme offered me her hand with a kind smile that I couldn't help but return.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Mrs. Cullen. You have a beautiful home." I shook her hand gently.

"Thank you." Esme's smile was almost beaming.

"Esme designed this house herself," Mr. Cullen explained. "So how are you enjoying your evening? I trust that everything is well?"

I was surprised to note that he actually cared to hear my opinion. I had come to think ill of him after he had brought on his own nephew to the company, but as I spoke, I saw that he was genuinely listening to me.

"Mom, dad!" A tall, muscled man suddenly appeared behind them. He gave Mrs. Cullen a tight hug before turning to me. "Hi, I'm Emmett."

"Bella."

His eyes seemed to light up with something that I couldn't discern, and his smile turned mischievous. I got a feeling that he either knew something I didn't or was about to do something that he knew he'd be scolded for.

"Beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he said with a wink. "Can I offer you a...drink?"

I chuckled and felt myself blush. He put just enough pause in his tone to turn the question into an innuendo.

"Emmett," Mr. Cullen said in a warning tone when Emmett was about to say something else. "As you might have guessed, Miss Swan, this is our son, Emmett."

"He is usually better mannered." Esme shot a disapproving glare at Emmett.

He simply smiled, a dimpled smile, and shrugged, unfazed. "So...what about that, eh, drink, Bella?"

I couldn't hold back my giggle when that comment earned him a smack in the back of his head by a beautiful blonde woman who came up from behind him. She stepped forward to shake my hand, and I noticed the roundness of her shape. It appeared as though she was pregnant.

"Rosalie Hale-Cullen. I'm married to the big oaf, though sometimes I wonder why."

"Bella Swan." I almost whispered the words, slightly shocked by the seriousness of her tone. _Did she really mean that? No, she couldn't have..._

Emmett pulled her in for a hug. "Easy," he said. "You love this big oaf and what he can do to you in the—"

"Emmett Cullen!" Esme's tone was sharp as she interrupted what was definitely going to be a crude joke.

"Sorry, Mom." He didn't seem sorry in the slightest.

"So, you're Edward's Bella?" Rosalie asked suddenly.

I stared at her. "Um, what?"

"Rose..." Esme placed a hand on Rosalie's arm, hushing her.

"I, eh, I must be going," I mumbled. "It was a pleasure meeting you all."

It wasn't the most graceful of departures, but I didn't feel like sticking around to hear more. I was fuming. _So, now I'm Edward's Bella? That annoying, arrogant..._

I had several minutes' worth of expletives added to his name before a touch on my arm drew my attention. It was Mr. Cullen again.

"I must apologize for my daughter-in-law's comment, Miss Swan. It was uncalled for."

"It's okay. Thank you." I offered a small smile. "Apology accepted."

"Please. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"I will, Mr. Cullen." _I just hope you'll forgive _me_ when I kill your nephew._

I studied the crowd as Mr. Cullen walked away, wondering if I should start looking for a ride home. The party didn't seem to be winding down, despite the relatively late hour, but I had had enough. I didn't know where that annoying Mr. Masen-Cullen had gotten the impression that he had any hold on me.

_That arrogant, stupid, pretty-eyed, sex-haired, good for nothing, body to die for, kissable lips—_

I wanted to slap myself as soon as I realized where my thoughts were taking me.

This was absolutely the worst time to be letting my mind drift to lustful thoughts about someone who was, in a sense, the prodigal son of my boss! _Besides_, I reminded myself, _he's a prick, and you need to stay away from him._

Nodding to myself, I decided that another glass of champagne was in order and took one from one of the passing trays. I made my way through the crowd and leaned against one of the walls on the outskirts of the large room. Mr. Cullen definitely spared no expense in the making of tonight's party, ball, um, Christmas, er, whatever the hell they called it. There were several waiters walking around, a bar at the corner, plenty of hiding places, like the one I was certain Alice was occupying with her mystery man. Not that I could blame her for skipping out on me. If her Mr. Mystery was as hot as...

_Are you really sure that you need another glass?_

Yeah, that was one hell of a time to get my inner voice talking to me. I looked at the now-empty glass in my hand. The voice was probably right; it might not be the best of idea to have another glass. I'd eaten before drinking, but I felt tipsy already.

_I'll just finish this one, and no more—_

"What the hell?" I pivoted to see who just bumped into me, but in the shadows here, I couldn't quite discern who it was. "Stupid, drunken co-workers who can't hold in their liquor..."

I had just turned back to face the crowd again when I felt something wet get splashed all over my silk red gown. The first thought I had was that Alice was going to skin me alive—this was her design, and on the free market, it probably cost more than my yearly salary—but as soon as I saw the reddish brown head and those sinfully-green eyes staring at me, the only thing that was going through my mind was that I was going to need to talk to my father about hiding a body. Edward Masen-Cullen was just asking for it.

"I'm sorry—"

"You idiot!" I screeched, not even caring what he was about to say. This man had had it coming for months now. First, he got Leah sacked. Then, he spent twenty minutes interrogating me like a fucking suspect in a murder, all the while staring at my bloody breasts! Sometime later, he had managed to stake claim—at least in his family's eyes—while having absolutely no right to do so, and now, this?

"I said I was—"

"I don't fucking want to hear it, Edward!" I was really wishing I hadn't finished that glass of champagne right now; it would have definitely felt great to spill it in his much-too-handsome face and all over his too-expensive suit. Calling him by his first name was the least I could do.

"Now, wait a fucking min—"

"No, _you_ wait a fucking minute." I took a step forward, poking his chest with my finger. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thanked Alice for putting me in those ridiculously high heels, which allowed me to poke the idiot in his chest while looking him straight in the eye. "I'm tired of you. You chauvinistic," poke, "job-stealing," poke, "under-qualified, BRAT!" three pokes.

I didn't think anyone's face could grow as red as his did at that moment. I should have been scared. I should have worried about the rest of the company—for I didn't think there was a single soul that worked for CC that wasn't here tonight—overhearing us. It was all I could do to hold myself back from slapping him across his face as it was.

I could almost hear him gritting his teeth, and I smirked. This felt good!

"Listen, Miss Swa—"

"Zip it!"

"But—"

"Shut up!"

He grabbed my shoulders.

"Get your filthy, muscular hands—you really have nice hands...—off of me." I frowned, looking down at his large hands. _I wonder if it's true what they say about large...wait, I swear I had a point there_.

"Will you shut the fuck up for one minute?" he almost roared the question.

I shook his hands off of me and made another step forward, placing us almost a breath away from each other. My finger was still placed firmly in his chest; apparently I was still poking him. "You think you're some kind of God's gift to womankind!" _Is that even a word? Oh, who cares!_ "You walk around like a bloody cock, er, rooster." _Now's definitely not the time to mention that, Bella_. "But you listen to me, Mister, "I have nice hands, bedroom eyes, and too-fucking-sexy hair,"—"

"You think I have bedroom eyes?" He cocked his head to the side, raising a brow.

_Figures that he would hear that part._ "I, um...I swear I had a point there," I mumbled. His stupid green, bedroom eyes were staring at me. His lips—totally kissable—curved in a crooked smile that was really just a slight tug at the edge of his mouth and made me feel like tackling him to the nearest bed. How could someone stay focused under that kind of assault?

"I can think of a better one," he said, or, I think that was what he said. I couldn't be sure because at the very next second, his soft, kissable—_didn't I say that already?_—lips were on my mouth.

He was warm and wet, and, surprisingly, I didn't feel like he was eating my face out like I felt when Mike "the lip molester" Newton tried to plant one on me. Edward was everything that a kiss should be; slow, deep, just the right amount of pull, a soft caress of his tongue.

I think I moaned when I felt his arms wrap around me. I know that I was losing all train of thought when his fingers lodged themselves in my hair, holding my head just at the right angle for his mouth to devour mine.

He tasted of something sweet—chocolate, maybe?—and something sour. I could taste the alcohol in his kiss, but suppressing all of the other flavors was the one that was one hundred percent _him_.

"God, I should have kissed you a long time ago," he murmured against my lips.

_What?_

I tried to form the question aloud, but his magical fingers cupped my ass, brushed along the sides of my body, coming close but not close enough, and he pulled me tighter into him—how many hands did this man have?—and when his lips descended on my neck and collarbone, I was fairly certain that the sounds coming from my mouth were rated R.

Speech was a much too complicated task for my mind at that point. It was much happier focusing on his mouth nibbling a path up my neck and to the sensitive skin behind my ear. My legs wanted to be around his waist, rather than trying to hold me upright on wobbling knees, and it was only through great effort that I managed to mumble, "People, um, crowd?"

Luckily, he seemed to understand me.

Edward—it was ridiculous to call him Mr. Masen-Cullen when he had one hand cupping my ass and the other slowly making its way to cup my right breast—led the way around the crowded room and past a pair of doors.

The shock of the cold air of the outside was enough to sober me, but a look at his disheveled hair—when did my hands have enough time to mess up his hair like that?—was also enough for me to say the hell with it.

If I were to be honest with myself, and since mind-reading was a gift left for fictional, sparkling vampires, I could afford being honest in my own mind, I would have had to admit that he had starred in more than one of my fantasies. True enough, they usually involved a closed office, his desk, and bending over, but I wasn't about to complain.

The stay outside was thankfully short. He was taking us to what was probably a pool-house or a guesthouse, which was only a hundred yards or so from the main complex. At any other time, I might have cared to see if there was a pool somewhere in the vicinity of it, or I would have paid attention to the inner decor. Now, however, I had no time or will to do anything like that; as soon as Edward kicked the door shut behind us, his lips were on mine again.

I let him lead me into what I assumed was the bedroom, all the while tugging at his clothes. Why did the man have to wear so many fucking layers? All he had to do was pull down the zipper at the back of my dress—which he did even before we set foot in the bedroom—and I was practically naked. He, on the other hand, had a tie, a jacket, a dress shirt, and, bloody hell, was that a wife-beater underneath it all?

I growled in frustration. "Why the fuck are you wearing so many layers?"

He chuckled, his breath fanning over the skin of my throat, causing a delicious shiver to run down my body. "I apologize, Miss Swan."

"Get rid of it!" I commanded when the third time I tried to tug at his tie, it wouldn't come loose. "I swear, if you don't, I can't be held responsible for the fate of your clothes." I added a bite on his shoulder for good measure and enjoyed hearing him hiss.

"My little kitten has teeth."

"You're about to find out that this kitten has claws, too, if you don't start getting naked right now." I had to resist the urge to stomp my foot, but honestly, he was taking too fucking long. I was about to make some more threats, but he had put that wonderful mouth of his to use on my neck, and my thoughts scrambled again.

His hair was just as soft as I thought it would be, and I really enjoyed burying my fingers in it while he kissed his way down my neck and onto my breasts. My bra disappeared at some point after his tie, and I didn't quite remember how I got to be on my back with him on top of me, but the weight of his body and the pronounced hardness that was poking me in the thigh felt so good that I didn't really care.

I closed my eyes and arched into his touch. He began sucking on my nipples, and it was as though each pull of his mouth was a shot of pleasure that went straight to my core. It felt so good that I knew I was making the most wanton noises ever, but I just couldn't find it in myself to care.

How many times had I dreamt of him naked? How many warm showers did I spend, thinking about all the things I wanted to do to him, wanted him to do to me?

As it was, reality was so much better than any dream of mine. It was like he took the "Bella's Body 101" course, followed by the "Bella's Body – Expert" course. He touched at the exact places I wanted him to touch, and when his mouth touched my core, two of his fingers sliding into me and curling upward, I came so hard that I literally saw stars.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. All of my attention was focused on his head between my legs, on his tongue and fingers doing the most amazing things to my body. I lost count on how many times he made me come before I was too tired to keep my eyes open.

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><p><em>There are four chapters and an Epilogue for this one. All of them will be up today, so stay tuned.<em>

_Thank you for reading,_  
><em>Alley Cat.<em>


	2. Headlines

_**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_Thank you to Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen and CharTwilightMom for prereading this in record time!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 – Headlines<strong>

**Bella**

Sleep slowly gave way to awareness. It was quite possibly the best night's sleep I had had in years. I knew that I didn't have to get up early this morning. I was off work for the next week, till the second of January, and there was no need to spend hours upon hours studying for finals.

I was free to sleep in for as long as I wanted.

I smiled and dug deeper into the warm pillow. I knew I wasn't fully awake when I felt something very soft and very warm wrap around me. It felt like someone was hugging me, and I couldn't help the sigh that escaped me. It was one of those dreams I had had ever since _he_ came to work for the company. His big hands were caressing my body, from hip to shoulder. His long, strong legs tangled with mine. His body, gorgeous in its nakedness, was so close to mine that I could feel his reaction to my proximity.

I smiled to myself as he bent his head to kiss me on the top of my head. It felt almost real.

"Good morning, Kitten."

_Kitten? That's a first._

Usually in my dreams, he didn't bother to talk. I had much better uses for his mouth.

"Come on, I know you're awake," he whispered.

I felt his fingers trace the side of my face, smoothing out the frown from my forehead.

_Awake?_

My memory cleared suddenly. Last night's party, the introduction to Mr. Cullen's family, fighting with Edward, kissing Edward...I felt myself turning bright red as soon as I realized that I didn't remember anything past my third—or it could have been fifth—orgasm with his head between my thighs. I shot up and blushed even harder when I noticed that I was completely naked. I pulled the blanket around me and tried really hard not to stare at the perfection that was Edward's naked chest.

"Good morning." He chuckled. "How's your head?"

"My head?" Out of all the things he could have asked, I wasn't expecting that one.

"You had quite a bit to drink last night," he explained.

_Oh, god...I must have been really drunk if I can't even remember having sex with him. Well, I do remember parts of it, but not the main event. _

A part of me wanted to slap myself for not remembering something that I'd dreamed about for so long. The other part of me wanted to slap myself for sleeping with him in the first place.

Edward sat up, his hands wrapping around my waist, and planted several soft kisses on my shoulders. "So, I ask again, how is your head?"

"Um, my head..." I found speaking to be very hard as he continued to kiss my shoulder, going all the way to my throat and catching my earlobe between his lips. "Perfect," I whispered when his mouth found a particularly sensitive spot behind my ear.

I groaned in protest when he pulled away, and I think I might have pouted a little because he chuckled when he saw the expression on my face.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured.

He leaned in to kiss me again, and I didn't even think about resisting. It was a soft kiss, almost loving, and I gasped. My memory only held passionate, hungry kisses.

I soon found myself on my back, his body pressing into me and his mouth never leaving mine. I wrapped my arms around his back, kneading the muscles I found there. He deepened the kiss but kept it soft, gentle.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to kiss you like this, hold you like this."

His eyes were boring into mine, and I believed him.

"I thought you hated my guts." I frowned.

"I thought you hated _my_ guts," he teased.

I gasped as I recalled the words I had used last night. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say...well, at the time, I did, but I didn't mean to—"

He hushed me with one finger over my lips. "You're beautiful when you're angry. I honestly didn't think you had it in you." He smiled broadly and moved to lie next to me again. "I'm sorry I made you feel as though I hated you. I..." He hesitated. "I was attracted to you since the moment I saw you in that conference room when Carlisle made the announcement."

"But you were so cold during my interview." I was confused. "And you were staring at my chest!"

He laughed, but before I could sit up to leave, he continued. "I couldn't look in your eyes because I was afraid I might forget everything I knew and kiss you right then and there. I stared at your name tag. It helped me remember that you were one of my employees and that I couldn't act out of my fantasies."

"But you looked so angry..."

"I was angry at myself," he explained. His hand cupped my cheek again, and he brushed his thumb gently over my lips. I leaned into his touch. It just felt too good not to. "I couldn't stop wanting you, couldn't stop thinking about you, and I knew that I couldn't have you."

I thought about his words and felt my own guilt rise. I wasn't being very nice toward him, either. "I'm sorry, too," I said. "I was blaming you for things that were not your fault."

"Leah Clearwater?" he asked.

I nodded. Thinking about it now, with a clear mind that wasn't clouded with negative emotions, I could allow myself to accept that there might have been other reasons for why he was brought in. Mr. Cullen was no fool. He wouldn't have brought on someone who did not possess the skills required for a position such as the VP of Finance.

"I can't tell you everything just yet, but will you trust me that there is more to that story than what you've heard?"

"I think so." I hated mysteries, and my mind was already contemplating what he might mean, but I could give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Thank you." He leaned for a kiss, and all thoughts of Leah and work flew out of my mind.

It was only when we were flush against each other again and I felt his erection that I remembered something that I really needed to ask him. I was embarrassed, but it was an important question.

"Edward?" I murmured.

"Yes?" His mouth was slowly moving down my chest toward my breasts, and I knew that it wouldn't take more than one swirl of his tongue on my nipple for me to forget what I wanted to say.

"I need to ask you something, and I really can't think when you're touching me like that." Despite my words, my back arched into his touch as he gently cupped both my breasts in his hands.

He stopped his movement, planted one last kiss on the top of my left breast and moved up, leaning his head on his hand and looking at me. "I'm listening."

"Last night...Did we...?" I huffed. "God, this is embarrassing," I murmured under my breath. "I'm pretty sure that we didn't, but we're both naked, and why wouldn't we? But I didn't drink that much, and I really should remember something like that, and—"

"As much as I enjoy seeing you flustered," he cut off my rambling, "I don't want you to panic. No, we didn't have full intercourse last night."

I sighed in relief. I really hated the thought that I could have forgotten something like that.

"For two reasons," he continued. "First, I didn't know how sober you were, and I didn't want you to regret anything that happens between us. Second, I didn't have protection with me, and I didn't know whether or not you are on the pill. I would never put you in risk if I can help it, so while I think we both enjoyed ourselves, we stayed safe."

I smiled at that. The care in his eyes was so pronounced, the sincerity almost shining in the green irises that I felt a tug in my heart. I was well on my way to falling for him. I lusted after him for a long while now, and this side of him was making him even more irresistible.

"Thank you," I whispered. "I am on the pill, and I'm clean, but I would like to remember the first time with you, so I'm glad that you stopped when you did."

"I'm clean, too. I haven't been with someone since before I met you." he said. "And I would definitely want you to be fully conscious when I make love to you for the first time."

He smiled that crooked smile of his from last night, and my mind went straight to the gutter. _Why not?_ I thought. _We're both adults, neither one of us in a relationship, and we have all this lovely bed to ourselves..._

"Well, I'm fully conscious now." I winked at him. "And if I remember correctly, you are very gifted with that mouth of yours..."

He didn't need any clearer invitation. His mouth crashed with mine as soon as I finished my sentence. He was definitely gifted with his mouth.

Within moments, Edward was on top of me again. This time, his body was cradled between my thighs, and my legs were wrapped around him. I pushed upwards, wanting to feel the hardness of his length inside me, and smiled beneath his lips when he hissed.

"I want you so much," he murmured. "I can't...wait." He groaned when my hand slid between our bodies and my fingers wrapped around his shaft.

"Then don't," I said.

He felt so good in my hand, and I knew that I would want to taste him later, but right now, I wanted him inside me. He had been driving me crazy with his touches and kisses since the moment I woke up, and I couldn't wait any longer.

Ever the gentleman, Edward slid his hand down my body and made sure I was ready for him before sliding inside me.

"Oh, god...Edward." My head fell on his shoulder as he began to move in and out of me in slow, torturous movements. I began kissing his shoulder, nibbling and tasting him.

"Beautiful Isabella," he whispered, his lips just a breath away from my ear, and made me shiver. "It feels so good to be inside you." He began picking up the pace, and I knew that he was just as desperate as I was.

"Yes!" I shouted when he angled his penetration just right, hitting that elusive spot inside me with each thrust of his hips. My nails were digging into his back, but he didn't seem to notice.

Our movements were quickly becoming erratic. I could feel the orgasm building inside me, and I was amazed. I had never been so close so fast.

Edward leaned back on his knees and held me by my thighs as he continued to drive into me.

"You look so...beautiful...beneath me," he grunted. "Touch your nipples," he ordered, and I moaned.

_Who knew Edward could be so bossy in bed?_

He didn't slow his thrusts as I cupped my breasts as he told me to, tugging at the nipples. I threw my head back when the pleasure was almost too great to bear. "Yes...Edward...Yes! So...close. Please."

I didn't care that I was begging. I was so much beyond that.

"Yes, Kitten. I just love seeing...oh god, you're tight...I love seeing you enjoy yourself."

He brought his fingers just above the place where we were connected, and it took no more than the lightest pressure there for me to scream my release.

I was on cloud nine—or possibly nineteen. I wasn't coherent enough to be sure. Sex had never been this good. I had never really understood how someone could say that multi-orgasm was anything but a myth, but as Edward continued to move inside me, rubbing his fingers very gently on my clit, I finally understood.

I thought my memories from last night, from Edward's hands and mouth on me, were exaggerated, but, if possible, reality was even better.

w.W.w

We didn't leave the bed for hours, and even when we finally found the will to crawl from between the warm sheets into the shower, it took us a full hour before we came out. Shower sex with Edward was definitely the best way to spice up my shower.

My dress was apparently unharmed, the wet stuff that was spilled on it was nothing more than water, and by some miracle, it didn't leave a stain. I was safe from the Alice-wrath. However, I didn't want to put it on again, so Edward offered me a shirt of his and a pair of sweat pants that were entirely too large for me but kept me warm. I finished it off with my coat, which Edward had to make a trip to the main house to get.

It turned out that the house we spent the night in was indeed a guesthouse. Edward hadn't had the time to go house hunting ever since he moved to Seattle from Chicago, so his uncle told him he could stay in the guesthouse for as long as he needed. Fortunately, Edward did have his own car parked outside. I definitely did not feel like doing the walk of shame in front of his uncle and aunt, one of whom just so happened to be my employer. I shuddered just at the thought.

I was slightly embarrassed to let Edward see how tiny my apartment was, and with his six foot plus height, it seemed even smaller. Wanting to spend as little time as possible in the tiny place, I dressed in the speed on light. Having already showered at Edward's—and what a pleasant shower that was!—it didn't take long to put on a fresh set of underwear, slip into a thick sweater, and put on a pair of jeans. Edward seeing my lingerie up close and personal was more than just a possibility, so I made sure to choose a matching set of bra and panties. I hesitated when I stood in front of the mirror, but eventually, I decided against putting on any make up. He had already seen me first thing in the morning, with my makeup smeared, so there was really no point in keeping him waiting in my living room. I did grab my chapstick before leaving my bedroom. The cold weather meant that my lips often felt dry.

_You can always just kiss him if they feel dry_. The thought made me smile.

"Ready to go?" he asked, standing up from the couch.

"Yes." I grabbed my purse, making sure that my cell and my wallet were inside, and made my way to the door.

He placed his hand on the small of my back while we were riding the elevator down, and I loved that he seemed to be unwilling to lose contact with me as I was with him.

"So where are you taking me?" I asked when we got to his car.

"I..." He laughed. "I only know this one place, and neither one of us is dressed up enough for it."

I smiled. I should have known as much. Not only was he new in town, but he also came from money. "Luckily for you, I've been living here long enough to know several nice places. What do you feel like having?"

The heated expression that appeared on his face at my question made my breath hitch. I was of half a mind to turn around, run back to my apartment, and let him have his way with me. Hell, I was even considering finding a hidden corner in the parking lot. _Since when have I become such a slut? Oh, yeah, since I found out how fucking awesome this man is in bed._

A sexy smirk spread across his face and he made a step toward me, effectively pressing me into the car. "You. Preferably naked," he whispered, never breaking eye contact.

I placed my arms around his neck. "Sound like an interesting idea. I thought we wanted lunch."

"I could just feast on you." He lowered his head and let his nose run down my neck as he was breathing me in. "If my memory serves me right, you seemed to like it when I was eating you up."

I moaned at his words, wanting nothing more than for him to put that mouth of his between my thighs and give me a repeat of this morning, but then my stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten much during dinner last night and that breakfast this morning was Edward. As delicious as he was, unfortunately, I couldn't survive on him alone.

Edward sighed, pulling back after placing a soft kiss on my mouth. "Food now, ravishing you, later."

I giggled at that. "I know a nice Japanese restaurant not too far from here. How does meat with rice sound to you?"

"Sounds good," he said with a smile.

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading,<em>  
><em>Alley Cat.<em>


	3. In the Arms of an Angel

_**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_Thank you to Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen and CharTwilightMom for prereading this in record time!_

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Chapter 3 – In the Arms of an Angel<strong>**

**Bella**

I wasn't ashamed of wanting him or of accepting whatever this was between us. I had learned long ago that people would think what they want to think about you regardless of your intentions or desires. I would enjoy whatever it was that we were having for as long as it lasted, and why shouldn't I? He was an attentive lover and a great conversation partner. He listened, which was a very rare quality with people, and he had interesting points of view of the world. As we were eating our main courses—I ordered the beef with rice and vegetables, a Yakiniku, and Edward had the beef Ramen—I found myself in the middle of a discussion about the injustice of the low price farmers got for their milk produce in comparison to the high prices of milk cartons in the supermarkets.

We both agreed that the ones who truly profited from this were the owners of large supermarket chains, but it wasn't the fact that we had similar views on economy that had me amazed; it was how down to earth Edward truly was. I had long thought of him as someone who lived high in his ivory tower, but now I was able to see how wrong I had been.

"Okay, enough with the heavy," I announced when our dishes were cleared and desert was served. I had no idea how Edward still had room for desert after all that food, but I was full. Leaning back in my seat, I let him tackle the ice cream. "Jimmy Kimmel or Jay Leno?"

"Depends on what you're asking." He smiled. "I wouldn't mind having dinner with both of them, but I wouldn't take either to bed."

I rolled my eyes and threw my napkin at him. "I mean, which one of them you think is funnier?"

He caught the napkin and threw it back at me. "Leno. I especially like the part where he reads newspaper clips that had gone terribly wrong."

"Headlines!" I sat up. "Did you see the last one? With the two coffins for sale?"

"Slightly used but not in ground?" He chuckled. "What about the city being unsure why the sewer smells?"

I laughed, covering my mouth with my hand to make sure I didn't accidentally spit on him.

He dug into his ice cream, and after licking the spoon clean, he said. "I think my favorite was the banana split ad."

It took me a moment to remember what he was talking about. "Half price if you bring your own banana!" I giggled. "Oh, and you can't forget the, "Brief history of kissing balls," article!"

Edward nearly choked on his ice cream, and that sent me into another fit of giggles. "That's better than the," he paused to take a breath, "oval _cocktable_."

It was my turn to nearly choke, but I did that from laughing so hard. I waved my hands in front of me as I gasped for breath, trying to stop laughing. "No more," I managed to say between breaths. "I can't breathe."

"Meh, who needs to breathe anyway?" He grinned.

I shook my head, not daring to look at him for fear I'd start another laughing fit. When I looked up again the waiter was there with our check. I reached for my purse when Edward stopped me. I was about to argue, but he spoke before I could say anything.

"Whenever I'm with a female—and it doesn't matter if she's my mom, my aunt, my date, or my sister-in-law—I'm picking up the check. So, please, don't argue."

I looked at him for a moment, but decided to let it slide. First, I was having too much fun to spoil it by arguing. Second, the check wasn't that large to make me feel too uncomfortable with letting him pay the bill. Third, honestly, it wasn't as though he couldn't afford it even if the total was in the three digit zone.

"Okay," I said. "But tip's on me."

He sighed but gave in with grace. "Okay, tip is on you."

w.W.w

Edward and I ended up spending the rest of the day together. It was too cold to stay outside, so we went back to his temporary residence to watch some silly Christmas movies. We missed dinner because we were too busy feasting on each other, but neither one of us cared. We were insatiable.

On the following morning, Edward took me to my apartment again, so I could change my clothes, and then we went house hunting. The day was sunny despite the low temperatures, and Edward wanted to use the first vacation he had since coming to Seattle to find himself a place to live. He kept asking if I didn't mind wasting my vacation time going from one apartment to another, but I found that I didn't. I was having such a great time spending time with him that the type of activity didn't matter.

Edward had a wonderful sense of humor, and I often found myself laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes. He told me stories from his childhood vacations with his cousin, Emmett, and the pranks they played on their parents, and I found myself sharing my own stories, even those embarrassing ones from high school when I often found myself falling while walking over a completely flat surface.

On the second night after the night of the party, Edward stayed over for a home-cooked dinner that I had insisted on making. After seeing the food he had in his fridge—or the lack thereof, to be exact—and hearing that he had been living on take-out for the better part of the past three years, I wouldn't let him take us to another restaurant. I enjoyed cooking, but living alone gave me little reason to do it, so having him around gave me a chance to do something I liked.

While in the supermarket, I realized that Edward was just as adamant about paying for the groceries as he was about picking up the check at the restaurant. I tried arguing, but somehow found myself agreeing to let him pay eventually. I still didn't know how, but I suspected that he had used those amazing green eyes of his to dazzle me.

He enjoyed my food so much, moaning with each bite, that we didn't even make it to the bedroom before I tackled him. The man was dangerous.

Usually, I would go to see my parents during Christmas and even ring in the New Year with them, but this year they were on a long awaited vacation in Italy, and I was facing being dragged by Alice to a New Year's Eve party where I knew absolutely no one.

Upon hearing my lack of plans—apparently, avoiding Alice wasn't considered as "plans"—Edward insisted that I should come to spend the evening with him and his aunt and uncle. It was probably the first time I was happy to hear Alice yelling on my answering machine.

"_I know what you're doing, Bella, and don't you dare! You're spending New Year's Eve with me. I'm not letting you talk yourself out of this one. You're coming. I don't care if I have to drag you with me, kicking and screaming, I will. You know I will. Call me._"

"She sounds scary," Edward noted, but he was clearly trying to hide a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't laugh. She can be!"

"You better call her back, then."

I bit my lip and looked at the phone. _Do I really want to call her?_ I sighed and dialed her number.

"_Well, hello, stranger!_" Alice answered on the third ring. "_Are you back with us from whatever planet Santa took you to?_"

"Funny, Alice. I got your message, and—"

"_You're coming,_" she finished for me.

"Alice..."

"_Don't Alice me! I'm going to be at your apartment at nine, and you better be out of bed by then!_"

"Alice, are you talking about nine _am_?"

"_Of course!_" She huffed with annoyance. "_The party starts at eleven._"

I knew it was pointless to argue, but I just couldn't help myself. "Alice, why do I need _fourteen_ hours to get ready?"

"Fourteen?" Edward raised a brow.

I shrugged.

"_Because you're coming with me to the spa._"

_That doesn't sound so bad._ "Alright, Alice, I'll be ready by nine."

"_Good. We'll have plenty of time to talk. I want to tell you all about this new guy I met, and I want to hear who that sexy redhead you've been banging in the past few days is._"

"Alice!" I hissed.

"_Oh, shush. You know it's true. I bet he's right there, isn't he?_" She laughed. "_Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do._"

"Is there such a thing?" I teased.

"_Come to think of it, probably not. By the way, you can bring him with you._"

"Er, Alice, I don't know..."

"_In fact_," she continued as if she didn't hear me, "_I insist that you do. I want to see the man who stole my best friend's heart._"

"Okay, I'm hanging up, Alice. I'll talk to you later."

"_Good. Bye, Bella._"

"Bye, Alice." I hung up, shaking my head. "She gets me every single time..."

"She sounds like a great friend," Edward said.

"She is." I smiled. "The best."

He pulled me in for a hug and nuzzled at my neck. His warm breath sent many pleasant tingles through my body. "So, I guess you're going to be with her for New Year's Eve, after all?"

"Well, you're invited, too," I mumbled. I was much too distracted by the way his mouth was making a path of small kisses from my ear to my collarbone to be fully focused on what I was saying. "You can, uh, that feels so good, come with me...to the..." I moaned when he bit me gently on the back of my neck, making me go weak in the knees.

"I can come with you right now," he whispered.

I made no objections as he followed through with undressing me quickly and making good on his promise.

w.W.w

Edward couldn't bail on his family on New Year's, so he didn't come with me to the party Alice dragged me to, and while I did miss him, I was happy to spend some time with my best friend. She was all smiles and stars when she showed up to pick me up that morning. Edward had just left an hour ago, saying that he had some things to take care of and that he would talk to me later on, so I was alone when she arrived.

We spent the morning in the spa, had lunch, and after coming back to Alice's apartment, started to get ready. I was never a huge fan of getting ready for hours, but Alice had always made it fun. Even though I wasn't quite keen on going to a party where the only person I knew would be Alice, it was fun spending some girl time with my best friend.

I loved the fact that she didn't judge me for how fast things with Edward had gone. She was supportive, and I could see that she was being honest. It helped to hear that she was moving in to a new relationship of her own just as rapidly. She seemed to be smitten by this new man, but she wouldn't tell me who it was. At first, I felt slightly hurt, but when I saw her blushing, I realized that this was different. She truly cared about this mystery man, and she just wasn't ready to share him, not yet.

I had a good laugh—Alice blushing was not something you'd see often—but I didn't bother her about it anymore.

The party was surprisingly fun. I had plenty of offers for my midnight kiss but turned them all down. There was only one man I wanted to kiss, and he wasn't there.

w.W.w

Going back to work on January third after the holiday was hard, but I got to see Edward after two days in which all we did was text each other. I woke up very late on the first, and Alice and I spent the second in her workshop. She had begun working on a new collection and wanted to get my opinion about some of the designs. I was no professional, but Alice seemed to like hearing my thoughts about the different pieces. Alice said that I was the only person she trusted to give her an unbiased opinion.

I had a great time with Alice, but being away from Edward for the third night in a row was hard. He smiled at me when we met in the elevator on the next morning, but we weren't alone, so we could do little more than that.

The workday was hectic, and I skipped lunch to try to get as much work done as possible. I was looking at a long evening at the office when at around five, Edward stopped by my office and announced that he needed my help and that we're going out.

"Out?" I asked. "Out where?"

He was already pulling me out of my chair and handing me my coat.

"I think I've found a place, and I want to hear what you think of it," he said.

I blinked several times. "Edward, I have work to finish, and I...need...oh, don't look at me like that."

He had the most adorable pleading look on his face, and he knew very well that I couldn't resist him. "Work can wait for tomorrow. I can't." His face took on a lustful tint, and I felt the last of my resistance melt.

I wanted to spend the evening with him. I found that I couldn't care less about what we were doing as long as he was with me.

w.W.w

I walked around the two-story house with a stunned feeling. I didn't really know how to feel or what to say. This was like my dream house. It was located far enough away from the city to have a beautiful view from the windows, a small backyard, and a country feel, but it wasn't too far to make the daily commune unbearable. There were three bedrooms on the second floor. One of them was clearly a master bedroom suite with an adjoined bathroom; the other two shared one bathroom that was located between them. The first floor had a living room, a beautiful kitchen that just had me aching to cook in, a small dining area, and even a porch that went out to the back yard.

I didn't even want to imagine the rent on this house, and I was feeling envious for the first time of Edward's money.

"What do you think?" Edward whispered, appearing as if out of nowhere.

"It's a beautiful house," I said, trying to sound calm and failing miserably. "I love it."

Edward had the most beautiful smile on his face as he looked down at me. "Thank you for coming with me," he murmured and leaned down to kiss me.

It was a short kiss since the realtor was still present, but it definitely left me wanting more. I waited while Edward said goodbye to the realtor, telling her that he'd call her tomorrow and let her know what he decided. We were quiet as Edward drove us back to my apartment. I didn't know what was on his mind, but my thoughts kept returning to the beautiful house. I knew it was silly and unhealthy, but without my permission, my mind began imagining living in that house. I could see Sunday breakfasts being cooked in the kitchen. I could envision romantic nights in front of the fireplace in the living room, wearing nothing but a smile. I imagined standing inside the house and overlooking the backyard as the rain was pouring outside. It didn't matter which scene I was thinking about; there was always one thing that was constant, and it wasn't the house.

"We're here, Bella," Edward's voice broke me from my imaginary world. "You seem to be miles away." He smiled.

"Yeah, a little." I ducked my head as I felt the blush creep into my cheeks. A glance at the window let me know that we had indeed arrived, but it wasn't my apartment building that we were parked under; it was the guesthouse on the Cullen mansion.

I saw that Edward was about to speak, but I didn't want to give him the chance to feel uncomfortable for bringing me here. I understood his sentiments exactly; they were the same as my own. I placed a finger on his lips. "Let's get inside."

Edward was out of the car faster than I could have imagined and that made me smile. He was just as eager as I was.

It was the first night when I could truly say that we had made love rather than had sex. Everything about the act was gentler. Every kiss, every touch echoed reverence. I felt myself burn with desire to consume and be consumed. I cried when I climaxed, and curled into his body when we were finally tired enough to sleep.

w.W.w

Edward had made it into his custom to show up on the doorstep of my office every day around seven. Most of the workers had gone home by then, so there was no one to gawk at him or send suspicious glares in my direction. Some evenings we ended up in my apartment while on others we went to the guesthouse, but for the next two months, we did not spend more than one night apart. On weekends, we would either go out if the weather was nice or spend the day in if it was too cold. Alice had taken to spending her weekends with her mystery man. She still hadn't told me who he was and if I weren't completely absorbed by Edward myself, I might have been hurt.

I knew I was falling in love with him. Hell, if I were being honest, I knew that I had fallen for him long ago, but neither one of us spoke about our emotions. I knew that my feelings weren't one sided, but we never seem to get to actually saying the words. Edward also didn't mention the two-story house again. I was fairly certain that he was still looking for a house, but he did not approach me to look at another residence again. I didn't really know what to make of it, but I tried not to let the doubts eat at me.

It was only around March when Edward's work load had suddenly grown in volume that I found myself alone at my apartment for the entire week. I was busy this week myself, not making it home before the hour was in the double digits and falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. We didn't even have time to make plans for the weekend, and I tried to keep myself busy with my chores. It wasn't the same without him.

I finally broke down in tears when I was folding the laundry. I remembered how a few weeks ago, Edward tackled me while I was trying to sort through my laundry, separating whites from colors, and we ended up making love right there on the floor, between piles of dirty clothes.

"You were going to wash what you were wearing anyway," he had said afterward, smiling my favorite smile. "I just helped you undress."

I finished putting in the load with the tears still flowing and blindly made my way to curl on my bed. If I closed my eyes and buried my nose in the pillow, I could convince myself that I could still smell his scent there.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because a little while later I found myself waking up with a start at the sound of someone knocking on my door. A glance at the clock told me it was two in the morning.

"Coming," I called and winced as the words made me notice just how sore my throat was.

I walked to the door and looked to see who it might be. Two am meant that this wasn't a social call.

"Edward?" I asked. I was equal parts shocked and happy seeing him standing on my doorstep. "What's wrong?"

* * *

><p><em>Mini-cliffy :)<em>

_Thank you for reading,  
>Alley Cat.<em>


	4. Home

_**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_Thank you to Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen and CharTwilightMom for prereading this in record time!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 – Home<strong>

**Bella**

He looked terrible. His shirt was askew as if he had thrown it on in a rush, his hair looked like he had been running his hands through it over and over, and his eyes looked bloodshot. I only had a second to take him in before I was swept into his embrace.

"Oh, God, Bella," he sobbed into my hair. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." I burrowed my nose into his neck, taking deep breaths. The scent on the pillows was not even close to the wonderful smell that was purely Edward.

We had stumbled into my apartment—Edward kicking the door closed behind him—and curled up on my couch, kissing as though our very lives were dependent on it. Surprisingly, he made no move to remove my clothes, he seemed content to keep kissing me and holding me in his arms.

After a while, he pulled away slightly, and looked deeply into my eyes.

"This last week has been hell." His eyes still shimmered with unshed tears.

I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"I don't ever want to have to go through another week like this," he said.

"Me neither," I said, pulling him tighter. Even the few inches between us were too far apart for my liking.

"Move in with me," he whispered, and before I could utter a response, the rest of his words came rushing out. "I know that this is really soon and that maybe some would look at it as odd, but I can't spend another night away from you. I feel like my heart is missing whenever I have to close my eyes for the night and you're not the last thing I see. I want to go to bed every night with you by my side, and I want your face to be the first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning. Please, Bell—"

I couldn't help myself; I stated to giggle. "Okay."

He blinked a few times, looking very much as though my reply didn't quite register.

"Okay, I'll move in with you." I smiled. "It's been hell for me, too."

Edward broke into an almost blinding smile, and he kissed me deeply again. I groaned as his tongue massaged mine and his hands pulled me closer, allowing me to feel that he was already hard for me, already wanting me.

"I don't care if we have to live in the guesthouse," I murmured. "As long as I have you, I'd even live in a cardboard box." He pulled away, and I was fully aware that I was pouting in protest. "I didn't finish kissing you!"

He laughed, and I loved how light his eyes were. "Come take a ride with me."

"A ride? At two am? Where?" But Edward was already pulling me off the couch and shoving my coat into my arms. "Edward!"

He stopped, holding the door open for us to leave. "What?"

"Where are we going at two am? Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

"Nope, now stop arguing and come!"

"Edward!" I hissed. "Let me at least put my shoes on before you drag me outside!"

He looked sheepish when a glance at my feet confirmed what I was saying. "Okay, but hurry!"

w.W.w

Edward wouldn't tell me where we were going as he weaved the car in and out of traffic, clearly leading outside the city limits. For a moment, I contemplated the thought that he was considering driving to Vegas to elope, and I had to laugh at the thought. _Getting ahead of yourself much, Bella?_

It was too dark to see where he was headed at some point, and after trying to pout it out of him and failing—I put the most heartbreaking pout on my face like I'd seen Alice do, but he seemed immune to it—I settled for waiting till he got us to wherever he was headed.

When Edward finally parked the car, I stared, wide-eyed, first at him and then at the house.

"Did you—? How—? What—?"

Instead of answering me, Edward dangled a keychain in front of me, grinning.

"Really?"

"Signed the papers last night, we can move in as soon as we want."

I squealed. I think it was the first time ever since graduating from high school that I had made such a sound.

Edward burst in a fit of laughter.

"Oh, shut up!" I rolled my eyes, not really mad at him, and snatched the keys from his fingers.

It took two attempts before I was able to unlock the front door. It was cold and my excitement didn't do me any favors in terms of steadying my hands. I flicked on the lights and turned to Edward as he shut the door behind him.

"One question."

"What is it, love?" he asked.

"Is there a bed here or are we sleeping on the floor tonight?"

He froze, the smile disappearing from his face. "Um..."

It was my turn to burst into a fit of laughter. "You look like you're a deer caught in the headlights."

He scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't think of the fact that there's no bed here...I just wanted to have you here with me."

I threw my arms around him, unable to stand his sadness. "Tell you what, do you still have the blankets that we took to the picnic in your trunk?"

"Hmm...I think so."

"Good, go get them and meet me upstairs."

He kissed me gently on my lips. "I'll be right back."

Smiling to myself, I watched him leave through the door and went exploring. I wasn't surprised to find the linen closet empty, nor was I surprised that the closets in the three bedrooms on the second floor were empty as well. I wasn't surprised, but I was a bit disappointed. Hey, a girl could hope, right?

I went into the master bedroom suite and checked the walk-in closet. In the very back, at the bottom drawer, I found a bright pink folded blanket. I giggled at the bright lime-green aliens printed on the pink blanket. It was probably the silliest print I had ever seen, but since I planned on using it as a make-shift mattress, I didn't mind the colors.

"What are you giggling about?" Edward asked, walking in the bedroom just as I walked out of the closet.

Instead of answering, I showed him the blanket I was holding.

"Nice, um, very...bright?"

I laughed. It was obvious he was trying to find something nice to say about it as to not hurt my feelings. "It's hideous, Edward, but it'll do for tonight. Oh, good, I see that you brought the blankets."

"Yes." He lifted his arm with the two blankets draped over it. In his other hand, he was holding a back pack I'd seen him use as an overnight bag. "I have a change of clothes here that we could both use." He smiled then. "You know that I love seeing you wearing my shirts."

I walked over to him and hugged him, dropping the blanket at my feet. "Any chance there's a towel in that bag?" I asked. "I would love to take a shower."

"Yes." He cast the things he was holding aside and wrapped his arms around my waste. "Would you mind if I joined you? You know, save some water."

"Well..." I tried to keep my face straight but didn't last more than a few seconds. "I would be hurt if you didn't."

He kissed me then, hard and hungry, just as he did earlier in my apartment. We hadn't been able to touch each other for more than a fleeting touch or a small peck for the past week, and this was much too long in my book. We undressed each other in seconds, pulling apart just long enough to pull our shirts over our heads.

"I've missed...you...so much," he murmured between kisses. "I missed your scent..." He breathed in deeply as he nuzzled my neck. "I could hardly fall asleep without you in my arms." His hold on me tightened, and I wrapped one leg around his waist, trying to bring him in even closer to me. "And when I did fall asleep, I kept waking up and looking for you."

"I've been the same," I mumbled, nibbling on his shoulders. He had really soft skin on his wide shoulders, and I couldn't get enough of him. "I was going crazy without you," I whispered, hiding my face in his skin.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered.

I smiled and felt my eyes tear up. "I love you, too, Edward."

We didn't need any words after that. He pulled me under the hot water stream and showered me with kisses and caresses. I leaned back and enjoyed, smiling all along. I was amazed at how gentle he could be. I could feel his affection and care with each pass of his fingers on my skin. When he knelt in from of me and took his time washing carefully my legs, one at a time, I thought I was about to burst. I could see him smirking at me, but before I could say anything, his mouth was on me. Hot, moist, and talented.

I moaned and whimpered under his touch as he lapped and licked. He inserted two fingers inside me, keeping his tongue stimulating my clit, and I cried in release. I felt tears spilling from my eyes as emotions took over me. He let me come down only halfway before he renewed the movements of his mouth and began curling his fingers inside me, sending me into yet another orgasm.

I was panting heavily by the time we finished the shower, but he wouldn't let me reciprocate. Shaking his head and whispering, "This time is for you, love."

He used the towel that he had in his bag to dry us, and we went into the bedroom holding hands.

"Here," he handed me a shirt and a pair of boxers from his bag, "wear this. I'll see if I can start the fire." He pulled on the shirt he was wearing before and a fresh pair of boxers.

I couldn't help but pout momentarily at him getting dressed, but I understood. Even as I smiled at him, I felt the shivers run down my body. I was getting cold. "Okay. I'll spread the blankets while you take care of the fire."

Getting dressed quickly, I spread the colorful blanket I found in the closet on the carpet. I folded my coat and shoved it under the blanket, using it as a pillow. I wrapped one of the picnic blankets around my shoulder, grateful that it was so large that it covered me perfectly, and walked over to Edward who was figuring out how to turn on the fireplace.

I kneeled next to him, draping part of my blanket over his shoulders. I leaned my head on his shoulder, nuzzling him. I was still aching to feel him inside me, but the rational side of me insisted that while having wild sex with him would definitely warm us up, falling asleep in the cold and waking up shivering would not be fun.

"Ah-huh! Got it!"

I glanced at the fireplace and saw the flames come to life. "My own personal MacGyver." I giggled.

He turned and tackled me back. "MacGyver?"

"Well, despite your impromptu trip here, I think we've faired nicely," I teased.

"I think," he slid his hands under my shirt, "that I feel the room warming up."

I wrapped my legs around his waist again, pressing myself against him, and moaned when I felt how hard he was. "I think that I'm way past warming up," I murmured.

"I want you." His eyes shone with desire and love, his voice husky and hoarse.

"Take me," I whispered. "Can't you feel how much I need you?"

With a sound that was half a growl and half a moan, he leaned in to kiss me, and once again, we rid each other of our clothes.

"Oh, Edward," I breathed his name as his lips took my nipple into his mouth.

"Bella," he groaned my name as he slid into me.

I arched beneath him, throwing my head in a silent cry of pleasure.

"You are so beautiful like this," he whispered as he began rocking between my thighs. His hands were splayed on my waist and lower back, holding me off the floor as he leaned back on his knees and continued to drive me crazy.

I screamed his name when he sped up and I felt myself tightening around him. It was pure bliss, and as we both fell over the edge, I heard him whisper, "I love you, my Bella."

"I love you, Edward." The words were no more than a sigh. I was exhausted, and seconds later, I felt myself drifting to sleep, Edward still inside me.

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><p><em>Thank you for reading,<br>Alley Cat._


	5. Epilogue – Be Mine

_**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original plot is the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_Thank you to Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen and CharTwilightMom for prereading this in record time!_

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><p><strong>Epilogue – Be Mine<strong>

**Edward**

It was December again, and the year was once again drawing to a close. Bella and I had been living together for just under nine months, and each and every day was nothing short of amazing. We had our share of arguments, but we never went to bed angry with each other. Both of us stubborn, it was hard to avoid conflict, sometimes over the silliest thing, but we loved each other too much to stay mad with one another for long.

We had spent Christmas Eve with my family. Esme and Carlisle insisted on playing hosts, so we had a family-and-friends dinner with Rosalie, Emmett, their little girl, Lillian, and, surprisingly, Alice Brandon and Jasper Whitlock—apparently, they met during that company Christmas party last year and had been dating ever since. Bella fit in with my family perfectly. She wasn't shying away from Rosalie's sharp tongue or from Emmett's occasional lack of tact. Initially, Esme loved her for making me happy, and Carlisle approve because Esme was happy, but as time passed by, they fell in love with her just as much as I had.

Christmas Day was spent with Bella's parents. Renée and Charlie Swan had been very hospitable, but I just couldn't relax completely when we spent the night under the roof of Fork's Chief of Police, albeit retired. We had met several times during the past year, and while I knew that they liked me, I was strongly aware that in Charlie's eyes, I was still stealing his little girl from him.

I didn't know if it was my imagination, but it felt as though Bella had picked up on my nervousness. Ever since we got back from our trip to Forks, she seemed more emotional and her temper was much shorter. I knew that this was a busy time of year, especially so with her being promoted once again, but we were on vacation, she should have used the time to sit back and relax.

Things were getting worse in the past few days. New Year's Eve was only days away, and it seemed that with each passing hour, Bella grew more distant. I didn't really know what to make of it, and worrying had become second nature to me.

When last night I had woken up to an empty bed, I panicked. I tried not to let my imagination get away with me, but when I found her standing in front of the window with tears tolling down her cheeks, I was certain that something was wrong.

Bella had promised me that she was okay, that it was just the season that was making her a little sad, but I knew she was lying. She came back to bed and cuddled into me. She was holding me so tightly, whispering that she loved me, and I was slightly placated but still worried. I believed that she did love me as much as I loved her, at least that much was clear, but her weird behavior was making me worry.

I called Alice this morning. Bella wouldn't let me know what was going on, so I thought that maybe Alice could cheer her up. They were always close, so I hoped that other than cheering Bella up, Alice might provide Bella with a shoulder to cry on.

Alice was happy to help. She showed up thirty minutes after my phone call and practically dragged Bella out of the house, saying that I shouldn't expect them back before dinner. I didn't want to be apart from Bella for the entire day, but I wanted to do something to push away the sadness that was written all over her face.

I decided to cook dinner for Bella myself. I didn't cook often, mostly because I knew Bella enjoyed the activity very much, but I wanted to make tonight special for her. I was determined to make her smile before we went to bed tonight.

I started with some grocery shopping, making the effort of driving to Pike Place Market to get the ingredients I needed. I decided that I was going all out. We hadn't had a nice dinner, just the two of us, in a long while. The house was fairly organized so I focused on the meal itself. I knew that Bella liked simple food, so I decided on making chicken soup with croutons for the first course, grilled halibut with broiled potatoes, a salad as a side dish, and for dessert, vanilla and strawberry mousse.

I began with preparing the dessert as it would have to be chilled before serving. When I was done with the mousse, I layered thin slices of strawberry between the layers of white cream in a tall glass, added chocolate shavings to the top, and placed a few more berries on top.

Next was the soup—made from scratch, using my mother's recipe—followed by the croutons and the potatoes. When Bella sent me a text saying that she was about thirty minutes away from home, I began preparing the salad. Just like with the dessert, I wanted it to be special, so on top of our usual tomato, cucumber, and lettuce combo, I added pomegranate, strawberry, chives, and oranges. Finishing it up with a sauce that was my own version of a vinaigrette sauce, I covered the bowl and placed it in the fridge.

I had just put the fish in the oven when I heard the door open.

"Hi, Bella," I called from the kitchen, wiping my hands on a kitchen towel.

"Mmm...Something smells good in here," she said, walking in the kitchen.

She seemed in a much better mood than she had been in the morning, and I felt some of the weight lift from my shoulders. I walked over to her and hugged her close to me. "Mmm...You smell even better," I whispered.

"You cooked dinner?" she asked when we pulled apart.

I nodded, keeping my hands on her waist. "I thought we could both enjoy a quiet dinner at home."

She leaned her head on my chest and curled into me. I kissed her head and held her. "I agree," she murmured. "Dinner sounds like a great idea, and if it's you cooking, it's even better."

"Go wash your hands," I said. "I'll serve tonight."

She chuckled, and I looked to see that her wonderful smile was reflecting in her eyes. "Very well, Chef Edward, I'll go wash my hands while you serve dinner."

She walked out, and I turned to the soup. Pouring us two bowls, I took them to the dining table where I already had everything set for dinner. Bella and I rarely drank alcohol, so I put apple juice and water on the table. I had a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge, and I was hoping to be able to open it tonight, but it wasn't time for it to come out just yet.

"It looks and smells amazing, Edward," Bella said as we sat down.

"I hope it taste just as well."

"I'm sure it does."

I waited for her to take a few spoons before I asked if everything was to her liking, and when she nodded, smiling broadly, I finally relaxed.

I continued to serve the fish with the potatoes and salad, and they proved to be a success, even if it took a little persuasion on my part to get Bella to try the salad.

"I'm not used to having fruits in the middle of my salad," she objected.

I laughed. "Well, give it a try. You'll see that they work great with the vegetables."

"Okay."

She was hesitant when she took the first bite, but as she began to chew, her eyes closed, and she let out a small moan that had me readjusting my pants. "I take it you approve?"

"It's delicious!" She opened her eyes and smiled at me. "I take it back; fruits in a salad definitely work." She reached her hand to take mine. "Thank you for making us dinner, Edward."

"Wait till you get to dessert." I winked.

Bella cocked her head to the side and gave me a strange look.

All amusement was instantly gone, and I once again wondered what on earth was going on with her. Pushing away the darker thoughts, I took the empty plates in front of us and stood up. "I'll be right back."

I left the dirty plates in the sink and took out the tall glasses with the mousse and strawberries. I contemplated getting us both a glass of champagne but decided to keep it in. Bella's reaction to what was essentially a tease shook my confidence somewhat. I took a deep breath and went out to the dining room.

"Oh, Edward..." Bella's eyes were wide with delight when she saw the glasses I was holding. "It looks so good."

I just smiled, not trusting my voice. Bella was always honest with her emotions, displaying what she was feeling whenever we were alone, but lately, I just didn't know what to make of her. I took comfort in the approving noises that she made. At the very least, I knew that she liked it.

When we were finished eating, I took the dishes to the kitchen and told Bella to relax in the living room and see if she could pick a movie for us to watch. We had been surrounded by so many family members—both hers and mine—that we hardly had time to spend together as a couple in the past weeks.

It didn't take long for me to load the dishwasher and join Bella in the living room. She spread out the pillows on the carpet and cuddled under a thick blanket.

_Perfect._

I walked over to her. "Mind sharing that blanket with me, Miss Swan?"

She chuckled and lifted one end. "Get your butt over here, Mr. Masen."

w.W.w

Bella fell asleep in my arms not fifteen minutes into the movie, and I spent several minutes just watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful that I just didn't have the heart to wake her up so I could take her to the bedroom.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" I murmured to her sleeping form. "I wish you'd tell me what's wrong." I sighed, leaning my head on top of hers. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.

I tried to curb my imagination, keep my thoughts from running away on me, but I had little success. I wanted so much with her; I wanted everything with her. I had been so sure that I would have everything and more with her up until a month ago, but nowadays...I just didn't know if she was as certain about me as I was about her.

She stirred after about an hour just as I was reaching for the remote to turn off the TV since the movie was over.

"Hey, sleepyhead, how are you feeling?"

She looked up at me and smiled gently before burrowing further into my embrace. "I love being held in your arms," she murmured. "I feel so safe with you."

"I'm glad that you do. I love holding you in my arms."

This was the perfect moment. I had been changing my mind endlessly today. I felt so optimistic during dinner that I thought I could ask her over dessert, but her reaction to my teasing had made me second guess myself. I was beginning to think that I should just drop it and wait a little longer, give her more time to adjust. However, something told me that this was the moment I had been waiting for, that this was the perfect moment I needed.

"Bella?" I took a deep breath as I straightened up a little.

"Hmm?" She looked up at me, her smile still set on her lips.

I couldn't help myself; I leaned down and kissed her, slowly and sweetly, before holding her face in my palms. "You are absolutely beautiful when you wake up in my arms. In this past year, you have made me the happiest I remember myself being. You brought laughter and joy to my life in such abundance that I still can't believe I deserve it."

"Edward?"

I pressed my finger against her lips to quiet her down. I had a speech ready, rehearsed the words in my mind time and time again, but they didn't seem to fit right now, so I just let the words flow from my heart. "I love you like I have never loved anyone, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know that we have been living together for a while now, but I want us to take it to the next level."

I saw her eyes widening and tears forming in those beautiful brown spheres as I slid my hand into my pocket and took out the box I had been carrying with me for the past three weeks. She didn't speak, but I could see all of her emotions clear in her face.

"I promise to love you every single moment of every single day for the rest of our lives. Even when we're old and wrinkled, I promise to always remind you of how beautiful you are to me."

She chuckled at my words.

I placed the box in the palm of her hand, opening it. "Will you marry me, Bella? Will you agree to become my wife and the mother of my children?"

"Oh, Edward," she sobbed. If I hadn't seen the huge smile on her lips, I would have worried. "Yes," she whispered, throwing her arms around my neck. "Yes."

"Thank you, Bella." I pressed her into me as tightly as I could. "Why are you crying?" I asked when I could feel moisture on the skin of my neck

"I'm just so..." her voice cracked, "so happy." She began crying even harder.

I shook my head, holding her. I would never understand women, but finding out Bella's little secrets would be a task that I would enjoy immensely in the future. After her tears dried out, I took her left hand and slid the delicate platinum ring on her finger. It was a simple design, with a solitary diamond in the middle and the metal curving under and above it as if it were two hands holding the sparkling orb. I knew that I wanted to give her my mother's ring as her wedding band, but I felt that she should have her own engagement ring.

Once the ring was on her finger, she broke into a huge smile and leaned into me again. This time we were both watching her left hand pressed against my chest.

"Is this why you were so nervous lately?" she asked and looked up.

I nodded. "I was worried about what you would say, and asking for your father's blessing wasn't easy, either." I was only half joking. It wasn't easy to summon up the courage to speak with the ex-Chief, but I knew that it would mean a lot to him, and something inside me insisted that this was the right way to go about proposing to Bella.

"You asked my father and lived to propose to me?" She giggled. "You are a brave man, Edward Masen."

I shrugged. "Will you answer another question for me?"

"Um," she bit her lip, "okay."

"Why have you been so distant lately? What made you so sad? Why didn't you talk to me about it—whatever it is?"

She blushed and lowered her gaze. "I was worried..."

"About what, love?"

"Edward," she looked up, "you said that you wanted me to be the mother of your children..."

"I did, and I do." I didn't understand where this was leading. "I'm fine with waiting as long as you want. If that's what you're worried about, I don't mind waiting a few years before we have mini-Bellas running around the house."

"Mini-Bella?" She giggled. "I thought men wanted sons."

"Well, I wouldn't mind if you gave me a son or a daughter as long as they are healthy."

There was no more sadness in her eyes as she looked at me. I was relieved that the sadness and worry I saw lingering in her expression for a while now was no longer there.

"Well, what if we didn't have to wait a few years?"

Was she saying what I think she was saying? I felt myself smile even wider as my thoughts began to swirl with image after image of Bella with a round belly, of us holding a bundle of blankets. "Bella?" I couldn't finish the question, afraid to hope, to assume.

She nodded. "Seven weeks."

I knew I was grinning like a fool, but I didn't care. I was going to be a father. "I can't believe I am so lucky," I whispered, wrapping my arms around Bella again.

I lifted her gently and placed her in my lap. Once she was settled, I lowered my hand to her tummy. There was no roundness there yet, no clue to the miracle growing inside her, and I couldn't wait for the days I knew were going to come. Days when I could feel her growing, feel the baby kicking, watch as the magic that is called life happen right before my eyes.

"I only have one request, Edward."

"Anything," I breathed. She could ask for the moon itself, and I knew that I would find a way to give it to her.

"I want to get married before our little boy or girl arrives here."

"Anything you wish for, it's yours."

"Well, in that case..." She smirked. "My wish is for you to take me upstairs and make love to me until I'm too tired to think of anything else but you and what your gorgeous body can do to me."

I chuckled. "Your wish is my command, Milady."

I swung her up and into my arms and carried her up the stairs to our bedroom, where I proceeded to worship every inch of her body with my lips and my hands. We both fell asleep with smiles on our faces. Mission accomplished.

—The End—

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><p><em>Happy Birthday, girl. I hope you liked your surprise :)<em>

_Thank yo__u everyone for reading. Happy New Year!_

_Alley Cat._


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